Fire Law Blog Fire Service and Public Safety Legal Issues Blog by Curt Varone
A Massachusetts town is investigating comments attributed to a ranking fire officer who reportedly suggested that the town administrator received a substantial pay raise because she had a sexual relationship with the chairman of the town’s Board of Selectmen.
The rumor involved a $31,000 pay raise granted to Mendon Town Administrator Kimberly Newman by the town’s Board of Selectman. In January, the town’s attorney, Michael J. Maccaro, said that town employees had reported that Assistant Fire Chief Mike Zarella had suggested that the reason for the raise was that Newman had a sexual relationship with Mark Reil, Chairman of the Board of Selectmen.
According to the selectmen, the increase was to help dissuade Newman from leaving the town for a different job she had been offered.
On January 20, 2016 the Board of Selectmen met to discuss the accusations in executive session, but Chief Zarella objected that he was never informed beforehand about the allegations and demanded that the meeting be held in public. That move prompted a lengthy discussion over the proper process to follow.
Chief Zarella has denied starting the rumor claiming it was already in existence. He is president of IAFF Local 4936, and reportedly was seeking a copy of Newman’s new contract when the comments were attributed to him.
The investigation is expected to be completed in two weeks.
